Intermediate boss Treacy expects Camogie Plan to be changed
By Shane Brophy
Tipperary intermediate camogie manager Cian Treacy expects the Camogie Association to row back on their 2021 fixtures plan which led to much criticism following its announcement last week.
This week, the Camogie Association are conducting a poll among its membership to determine whether to stick with their plan to play the club championships after the National League, and then playing the inter-county championships in the autumn/winter, or to fall into line with the GAA and LGFA and play all inter-county competitions first before then going into the club championships in the second half of the year.
“I would be certain they are going to change,” Treacy said.
“This is bad for business and bad PR. High profile inter-county GAA hurlers and footballers are weighing in behind it so they can’t sustained that level of pushback.”
In a statement, the Camogie Association said the priority in their fixtures plan was to provide “as much camogie to as many girls as possible in the remaining eight months of the year,” mirroring the approach taken in 2020.
The Ard Comhairle decided to schedule the national fixtures as follows: Littlewoods National Leagues, commencing on 15th May, then AIB Club Championships, concluding with the All-Ireland Inter-County Championships.
The Camogie Association said a draft fixtures schedule was circulated to units in December and feedback from it suggested two diametrically opposed preferences with the associations Ard Comhairle opting for a repeat of the 2020 format.
“The Camogie Association's priority is to maximise meaningful games opportunity for all of our members, and to do this in a fair and equitable manner. One that ensures games for the county player, and games for the club player”, said the Camogie Association.
"Our clubs are the foundation of our Association. It’s important that there are competitive club matches for as many players as possible this summer. In this way our clubs will be to the fore in revitalising the physical and mental health of young people in communities across Ireland.”
However, there was immediate pushback from players, with a poll suggesting 82% of inter-county players were against it, while the GPA added that players would make themselves unavailable for the National League if the plan went ahead.
This isn’t about inter-county players wanting priority over club players, it is about providing fairness for the inter-county players and certainty for club players according to Cian Treacy.
“As an inter-county manager I would be happy if it was to be the league followed by the championship, and then the players go back to their clubs,” he said.
“The clubs are great and do brilliant work but there is a difference between club and inter-county level and getting them up to the speed of that and trying to foster the team spirit we are trying to build at the moment. That would be broken after the league if they go back to their clubs.
“I know from talking to club managers that they want their inter-county players training with them all the time. It’s very hard when they are with the county set-up so the clubs would be happier that there is a definite end to the inter-county season and then have a two or three week run-in where they can train and prepare for the club championship.
“What they don’t want is the old system of where a Tipperary team is knocked out of the championship on a Saturday and the following Wednesday night they are playing the first round of the club championship.
“It all boils down to having a structured calendar put in place where everyone knows when they are playing and it will get rid of all this conflict and controversy.”
National Camogie League
Cian Treacy’s Tipperary intermediate team will begin their division 2 league campaign against Cork on Saturday 15th May at 2.00pm, at Drom GAA pitch at The Ragg. The Premier County will be away to Galway and home to Kerry on subsequent weekends.
Tipperary’s first game in division 1 has also been confirmed with Bill Mullaney’s charges taking on Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday 15th May with 1.00pm throw-in. Tipperary will be at home to Waterford in their second game the following weekend with fixture details yet to be confirmed.
Ladies Football C’SHIP
While the Lidl National League will begin on the weekend of 22-23 May with Tipperary starting away to Cork, the template for the TG4 Senior Championship has been announced by the LGFA with all games due to commence on the weekend of July 10th & 11th.
There will be three groups of three and one group of four. Quarter Finals have been fixed for the August Bank Holiday weekend with semi-finals on the weekend of August 14th & 15th. This year’s All Ireland Finals will be played on Sunday, 5th September. The draws for the championship groups will take place in due course.